Baptisia plant named ‘Brownie Points’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct plant cultivar of hardy herbaceous False Indigo named  Baptisia  ‘Brownie Points’ characterized by compact vase-shape habit in lower portion with upright spreading stems forming a mound in the upper portion with upright stems and several large, chocolate-brown colored flowers on well-branched stems held well mostly above light green to chartreuse foliage in the late spring, suitable for landscaping as a specimen or en masse.

Botanical classification: Baptisia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Brownie Points’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid Baptisia plant, botanically known as Baptisia ‘Brownie Points’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Brownie Points’. The new cultivar represents a new false indigo, a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for landscape and cut flower use.

The new invention arose from a long term breeding program at a nursery in Waseca, Minn. and continued at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with the specific intention of improving garden worthiness of perennial False Indigo plants with a wider variety of flower colors and improved garden habit.

Baptisia ‘Brownie Points’ was a selection of a specific unreleased but unidentified proprietary hybrid of Baptisia sphaerocarpa and the male or pollen parent was an unknown Baptisia from an open pollinated isolation block selection consisting of proprietary complex hybrids. Also in the isolation block were advanced hybrids of Baptisia minor, australis, alba, and cinerea.

Seeds were collected from individual selected female plants in fall of 2009 at the isolation block in Waseca, Minn., USA by the inventor. The exact identity of the female and male parent is not known but both were from proprietary unreleased and non-patented plants. Either or both parents had a high percentage of Baptisia sphaerocarpa. The seeds were sown by the inventor in Zeeland, Mich., USA in the fall of 2009 with the initial selection made in the spring of 2012 and the new plant was assigned the breeder code “intense brown.” Asexual propagation by cuttings was initially propagated in spring 2012 at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The results of asexual propagation are that the new plant is stable and retains its true characteristics though successive generations of asexual propagation. Propagation method for asexually reproducing plants is primarily stem cuttings. Sterile plant tissue culture can also be used for asexual propagation.

The nearest comparison plant is Baptisia ‘Cherries Jubilee’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,907 which differs from the new plant in having maroon tinted yellow flowers. Baptisia sphaerocarpa ‘Screamin' Yellow’ (not patented) produces yellow flowers on upright stems, but with no brown tinting. Rare plants of Baptisia tinctoria may develop slight brown or dark purple tinting to the mainly yellow flowers, but the leaves are much smaller, the flowers are smaller and not on tall upright stems. These are the nearest comparison plants known to the inventor and Baptisia ‘Brownie Points’ is distinct from these and all other Baptisia plants known to the inventor.

The new plant differs from all Baptisia known to the inventor in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Compact vase shape habit in lower portion with upright         spreading stems forming a mound in the upper portion.     -   2. Several chocolate-brown colored flowers on well-branched         stems held mostly above the foliage in spring.     -   3. Young foliage and stems with light green to chartreuse         coloring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique traits of the new plant and the overall appearance. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Variation in ambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause the appearance of minor variation in color. The accompanying photograph is of a three-year old plant growing in an open full-sun trial garden in Zeeland, Mich.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flower scape.

FIG. 2 shows the habit of a plant in full flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 3 year-old plants of Baptisia ‘Brownie Points’ as grown outdoors in a trial plot at a wholesale nursery in Zeeland, Mich. Plants of the new cultivar have not been tested under all possible conditions. The phenotype may vary with changes in environment, climate, and cultural conditions without change however in the genotype. The color reference is in accordance with The 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general color dictionary terms are used.

-   Plant habit: Perennial, compact, well-branched, many-stemmed,     vase-shaped growth habit with long inflorescences held above the     foliage. -   Plant size: About 85 cm tall from soil to top of flowers and 85 cm     wide just below initial flowers. -   Roots: Fibrous, well-branched, long, deeply rooted.     -   -   Root color.—Nearest RHS 159D. -   Growth and propagation:     -   -   Propagation method.—Stem cuttings, rooting in about three             weeks; also can be propagated successfully by sterile plant             tissue culture.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately, similar to other Baptisia. -   Stems: Rigid and upright; glaucous; glabrous; cylindrical with faint     longitudinal furrows; lower two to three nodes without leaves or     branches; normally 40 to 45 stems per plant; main stem about 9.0 mm     diameter at base and 85.0 cm tall to top of inflorescence, average     about 74.0 cm tall and 8.0 mm diameter; normally about four to five     alternately-arranged primary branches beginning at the second or     third node above soil and extending from stem at 45 to 60 degree     angle above horizontal, up to 44.0 cm long and 4.0 mm diameter,     average for primary branches about 38.0 cm long and 4.0 mm diameter,     smaller distally; and three alternately-arranged secondary branches     per stem of about 32 cm long and 3.0 mm diameter, averaging about     16.0 cm long and 3.4 mm diameter; normally four alternately-arranged     tertiary branches up to 10.0 cm long and 3.0 mm diameter, average     about 8.5 cm long and 3.0 mm diameter.     -   -   Stem color.—Base nearest RHS N144B without glaucous bloom             and more green than RHS 122D with glaucous bloom.         -   Stem scales.—At stem nodes; slightly glaucous; dehiscing to             leave behind thin scar; about 3.3 cm long and taper toward             base of 24 mm across; frequently with apical three sharply             pointed lobes about 1.0 mm long and 0.5 mm wide in center of             retuse apex with acute tips or with three leaflets 9.0 mm             long and 2.4 mm across in the center of the retuse apex;             truncate base.         -   Stem scale color.—Between RHS 138C and RHS 138D before             dehiscing and between RHS N199B and RHS N199C after             dehiscing.         -   Internodes.—Up to 12.5 cm apart between lowest branches,             average about 8.5 cm; color of scar remaining nearest RHS             11D. -   Foliage: Alternate on stem; ternate to palmately compound with three     leaflets; outer two leaflets at about 60 to 80 degree angle to     middle leaflet; leaves up to 5.5 cm long and 10.0 cm wide, leaflet     average 3.2 cm long and 4.0 cm wide.     -   -   Leaflet.—Three, oblanceolate; apex obtuse to rounded, base             attenuate; margins entire; petiolate; top surface matte,             scaberulose below; size up to 4.0 cm long and 2.0 cm wide,             average about 3.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide.         -   Leaflet color.—Newly expanding nearest RHS 144A on upper and             lower surfaces; mature upper and lower surface between RHS             138B and RHS 138C.         -   Venation.—Pinnate, glabrous, thin, not conspicuous.         -   Vein color.—Newly expanding foliage midrib nearest RHS 146C             above and nearest RHS 146D below; mature foliage midrib             between RHS 144D and RHS N144D above and nearest RHS 139D             below; secondary veins same color as surrounding leaf             tissue.         -   Petioles.—Glabrous; slightly glaucous; concaved facing             upward; up to about 5.0 cm long and 2.5 mm wide average 2.0             cm long and 2.0 mm wide.         -   Petiole color.—Nearest 138B on upper and lower surfaces.         -   Stipules.—Glabrous, glaucous, lanceolate, acute apex with             base truncate to stem; up to 3.5 cm long and 6.0 mm wide,             average 1.2 cm long and 3.0 mm wide with largest stipules             below primary branches and decreasing in size distally and             on secondary branches.         -   Stipule color.—Between RHS 138A and RHS 137B both surfaces             with basal one quarter lightening to RHS N144D. -   Flower: Zygomorphic, papilionaceous, non-secund, held at about 50     degree angle above horizontal; beginning about 45 cm above soil; up     to about 30 flowers per main raceme and about 28 per secondary     branch; seasonally effective for about two to three weeks beginning     in late May in Zeeland, Mich. with about 36 flowers and 16 buds     showing color during peak per stem; individual flower remain     effective and on raceme for about four days; individually about 2.3     cm long, 1.8 cm tall and 7.5 cm wide at tallest and widest portions;     comprising an upper banner, a lower keel made up of two lobes folded     around gynoecium and androecium; and two lateral wings or alae     laterally appressed against keel.     -   -   Flower fragrance.—None detected.         -   Peduncle.—Rounded with slight vertical furrows; glaucous;             glabrous; from first flower to apex about 30 cm long;             diameter at the base of first flower about 3.0 mm and about             2 mm diameter at the apex.         -   Peduncle color.—Nearest RHS 144A.         -   Pedicel.—Round in cross section, glabrous, slightly             glaucous; about 8.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter.         -   Pedicel color.—Nearest RHS 144A.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate, four-lobed with top lobe pressed along             banner and other lobes flared in distal region; lobes             dissected about 3.0 mm deep; apex acute, base fused in basal             two thirds; margins entire; slightly glaucous; about 7.0 mm             long and 6.0 mm diameter; persists after petal drop.         -   Calyx color.—Abaxial nearest RHS 138B; adaxial nearest RHS             144A.         -   Buds one day prior to anthesis.—Oblong elliptic, flatted             vertically; about 1.8 cm long and 8.0 mm tall and 6.0 mm             wide.         -   Bud color.—Three to four days prior to opening exposed             banner petal between RHS 166A and RHS N199C with distal spot             nearest RHS 200C, exposed keel petal nearest RHS 11B and             exposed alae petals between RHS 166A and RHS 200C; one day             prior to opening exposed banner petal nearest RHS 166A with             distal spot nearest RHS 200C, exposed keel petal nearest RHS             11B and exposed alae petals between RHS 166A and RHS 200C.         -   Petals.—Five; with a lower fused keel, an upper banner, and             two lateral wings or alae; keel comprised of two sections             that are folded around stamens and pistil. Banner petal:             conduplicate, curved upward and backward and pinched in the             middle; apex retuse, base claw-like, margin entire; about             1.7 cm long, 1.5 cm across at widest and 6.5 mm tall; banner             dorsal side color lighter than RHS 166A but not as orange as             RHS 166B with veins of nearest RHS 166A, the inner center             portion nearest RHS 9C the center midrib nearest RHS 160A             with very small speckles of nearest RHS 166A, claw nearest             RHS 1C; banner proximal side lighter than RHS 166A but not             as orange as RHS 166B with veins of nearest RHS 166A, midrib             and claw nearest RHS 154A and yellow spots at base of blade             nearest RHS 13C. Keel: comprised of two main lobes that are             folded around stamens and pistil; fused in the distal             one-third with the apex emarginate or retuse and the bases             separate and claw-like; margin entire; top edge about             one-third of the way from base has 2.0 mm smaller lobe             pointing toward base; about 19 mm long 0.5 cm across and 7.0             mm tall with claw base narrowed to 1.0 mm wide for the             proximal 5.0 mm; color of outer keel sides between RHS 1C             and RHS 1D with apex nearest RHS 3C, lobe nearest RHS 11D,             main vein between RHS 145B and RHS 145C, inner color same as             outer color. Alae: papilionaceous corolla appendage with             rounded apex and claw-like base; with 2.0 mm lobe pointing             toward base and about one-third of the way from base; about             20.0 mm long and 7.5 mm tall with the claw narrowed to 2.0             mm across for the distal 5.0 mm; alae outside blade color             nearest RHS 166A with veining of nearest RHS 177A; color of             lobe nearest RHS 11B on inside and outside of older and             younger flowers, claw color nearest RHS 1D on inside and             outside; inside blade color between RHS 174A and RHS 174B. -   Receptacle: Disk-shaped, about 3.3 mm diameter and 1.5 mm depth;     color nearest RHS 138A. -   Gynoecium: One, with superior ovary.     -   -   Pistil.—About 22.0 mm long and 1.5 mm wide.         -   Style.—Curved at tip, about 9.0 mm long and less than 1.0 mm             diameter; color nearest RHS 145C.         -   Stigma.—Less than 0.5 mm diameter; color nearest RHS 145D.         -   Ovary.—Superior suspended by stipe; about 6 mm long and             about 1.5 mm in diameter; color darker than RHS 144A.         -   Stipe.—About 4.0 mm long and 1.0 mm diameter; color nearest             RHS 144B. -   Androecium:     -   -   Stamens.—Ten, not united, about 19.0 mm long and 1.0 mm             diameter.         -   Filament.—18.0 mm in length and less than 1 mm in diameter;             slightly curved upward at tip; filament color nearest RHS             145D.         -   Anther.—Dorsifixed, oblong; about 1.8 mm long and 1.0 mm             wide; color nearest RHS 15A.         -   Pollen.—Spherical; abundant; color nearest RHS 15A. -   Fruit and seed: Have not yet been observed. -   Hardiness: To USDA zones 4 to 8; heavy clay or light loamy sand     soils; able to withstand drought conditions once established. -   Diseases: Susceptibility or resistance to diseases beyond that     typically found in other False Indigo plants has not been observed. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of hardy herbaceous False Indigo plant named Baptisia ‘Brownie Points’ as herein described and illustrated. 